The Role of Dentistry in Dental Sleep Medicine (DSM)-The role of dentistry in Dental Sleep Medicine (DSM)

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Dr. Ivan Valchireni gave an introductory webinar on dental sleep medicine, focusing on the dentist’s role in diagnosing and treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and snoring. He explained key terminology such as AHI, PSG, HSAT, CPAP, oral appliance therapy (OAT), and related sleep disorders like insomnia, restless leg syndrome, and UARS. He reviewed landmark research that helped establish oral appliances as an accepted treatment option and emphasized that OSA is a serious, common, and often undiagnosed condition linked to cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, daytime sleepiness, accidents, and reduced quality of life.<br /><br />The lecture compared CPAP with oral appliances, noting CPAP’s high efficacy but poor long-term compliance, while oral appliances are less invasive and better tolerated. He also outlined other treatment options, including surgery, positional therapy, weight loss, and myofunctional therapy. Dr. Ivan stressed that dentists should work closely with sleep physicians and use screening, informed consent, and careful patient evaluation. Overall, he argued that dentistry is a vital part of the sleep care team because the oral pharynx is within the dentist’s area of expertise.

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The Role of Dentistry in Dental Sleep Medicine Ivan Valcarenghi, DDS, FAGD, DABDSM Subject: 730 Oral Medicine, Oral Diagnosis, Oral Pathology Credits: 1.5 Audience: Dentists Fee: $125 (nonmembers); $75 (members); $37.50 (students) Description Sleep, especially the lack of it, reveals itself in many aspects of our lives and health. Dental sleep medicine (DSM) seeks to provide a dental solution for this potentially serious and complex health problem. DSM is a relatively young but growing field. We have long known the importance of oral health as it pertains to our overall health, and the oral and cardiovascular connection is now well established. Seldom do dentists and physicians have direct cooperation, however, in patient care. Qualified dentists and the use of oral appliances for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are now accepted as a part of the sleep team, and participation and collaboration with physicians in patient care is encouraged. This course will cover an introduction to the concepts of and role of dentists in DSM. Learning Objectives • Define DSM terminology, OSA and other sleep disorders. • Review the importance of OSA treatment on overall health and the role of the dentist/dentistry in sleep medicine. • Compare oral appliance therapy efficacy vs. continuous positive airway pressure therapy. • Discuss oral screening and informed consent. Speaker Bio Ivan Valcarenghi, DDS, FAGD, DABDSM, or “Dr. Ivan” as he is known, graduated with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 1986 from the University of Illinois College of Dentistry. He has been practicing cosmetic and neuromuscular dentistry for 30 years as well as dental sleep medicine (DSM) as a director at Midwest Dental Sleep Center, the largest solely physician-referred center for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with oral appliances. He also operates Radianté Dental & Facial in Elmhurst, Illinois. Valcarenghi is a fellow of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM).

Keywords

dental sleep medicine

obstructive sleep apnea

oral appliance therapy

CPAP

snoring

sleep disorders

AHI

polysomnography

sleep physician collaboration